In many applications, it is desirable to have a threaded nut fastened on a threaded bolt that can withstand high torques and correspondingly high preloads without the bolt/nut fastener failing (e.g., shearing or popping off of the bolt head). Conventionally, a nut is fastened on a threaded shaft of the bolt, which applies a preload force to a joint. The joint typically includes two items (e.g., plates) being secured or bolted together by the bolt/nut fastener. The preload force causes the bolt shaft to stretch along its central axis and also holds and/or bolts items together (e.g., by way of the bolt head and nut exerting opposing clamp forces on the items). However, the conventional use of nut and bolt fasteners concentrates the preload force at the point where the shaft meets the head of the bolt, which can be the weakest point of the bolt and most susceptible of failing. The present disclosure is directed to solving these and other problems by providing a high torque bolt with an improved head-shaft joint that permits the bolt/nut fastener to be torqued to apply relatively higher preload forces.